An Update on the March 8 SAT Weekend Technical Issue

During the March 8–9 SAT^® Weekend administration, some students experienced a technical issue that caused their SAT exam to be submitted automatically before their testing time was over.  

We deeply and sincerely apologize to the students who were not able to complete their tests, or had their test time interrupted, for the difficulty and frustration this has caused them and their families.

We’ve shared the following information with students who experienced auto-submission before their testing time was over to ensure they have the information they need to make a choice about their next steps:

• Refund and Voucher 
  All students impacted by this issue will receive a full refund of their registration fees and a voucher for a future SAT registration free of all charges. Students can expect their refund and voucher by the end of this week (March 14). 
   
• March 8 SAT Score Preview 
  This Friday, March 14, students who had their test submitted before their testing time was over will receive an email with a preview of their score from their March 8 exam. This preview will help students make an informed decision about whether to keep their March 8 score or take a March 22 (March 23 for Sunday test takers) makeup test if one is available in their area. 
  
  We recognize we’re asking students to make a difficult decision between keeping a March 8 score or taking a makeup. We’ve heard the feedback from students and educators that getting to preview the March 8 score would make this decision a little easier.  
   
• Makeup Testing 
  We’re asking test centers to open for a makeup test on Saturday, March 22. By March 19, students will receive an email letting them know if a makeup exam is available to them. If one is, students will need to let us know whether they want to take the makeup (and cancel their March 8 score) or keep their March 8 score. If a makeup isn’t available, we’ll share additional information about their options.  

Finally, we won’t send students’ scores from the March 8 test to colleges unless/until students direct us to. When these students receive their official score reports, they can contact College Board to have the scores released to their selected colleges should they want to do so.  

We are communicating with the higher ed institutions and scholarship organizations where students have requested to send their scores, so they understand the issue and hold students harmless. We are highly confident that our members will provide flexibility around any deadlines, as they have in the past. We will work individually with any college, university, or scholarship organization to support students.  

What We’re Doing for Future Tests

This issue was caused by an incorrectly configured setting in Bluebook™ that resulted in answers being automatically submitted before testing time was over. While we’ve fixed the issue, it’s important to share what we’re doing to prevent it from happening again. Going forward, multiple independent teams will verify this setting is configured correctly. We’re also developing automated testing and alerting for this setting and others like it.  

Questions and Answers  

My students’ answers weren’t auto-submitted, but they lost testing time because they were instructed in their testing room to reboot mid-test. What should they do?

While mistiming issues within individual testing rooms occasionally occur during an SAT administration, we recognize that this issue may have resulted in some students losing testing time because they were instructed in their room to reboot Bluebook mid-testing. We will work with students impacted in this way through irregularity reports submitted by their test centers and student-reported issues.  

As with all such incidents, students will get a makeup opportunity if available in their area, and in this case, students will also be offered a refund and voucher. While we can't preview these students' scores with them, they can call to tell us they want us to release their score to them as part of official score release for the March 8 SAT (scores will be released by March 26), while having us place a hold on that score being sent to any colleges. After score release, they can call us after they see their score to remove the hold and send their scores to colleges, or cancel their score altogether. If any of your students were impacted in this way, they may contact Customer Service at sat.org/inquiry or 866-756-7346, or +1-212-713-7789 (international). Customer Service hours are 8 a.m.–8 p.m. ET, Monday–Friday.

Did or will this issue impact state and/or district testing during the March and April in-school testing window?

This issue did not impact any state or district testing. The configuration that was incorrectly set only impacted March 8–9 SAT Weekend tests, and was fixed around 2 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 8. A similar configuration for state and district testing has been fully reviewed and found to be correct.

Will refunds and vouchers also include all extra fees, including international fees?

Yes, refunds and vouchers will cover all associated fees.

We apologize for this issue, and we are committed to ensuring that this error does not happen again and that the millions of students we serve have a successful testing experience.

I already called in to cancel my score, but now that I know I can see a preview of my score, can I change my mind?

Yes, if you encountered the auto-submission issue during testing, you can change your mind. You will receive a preview of your score on Friday, March 14th. If you would like to reinstate your March 8th score, do the following:

1. Contact Customer Service to reverse your score cancellation at sat.org/inquiry or 866-756-7346, or +1-212-713-7789 (international). Customer Service hours are 8 a.m.–8 p.m. ET, Monday–Friday.
2. Do not take any available March 22nd make-up.